Mahayana Buddhism

[zaangalewa]

There are no spirits.

Spirit - not spirits. And I spoke also not about spirit - I spoke "only" about spirituality.

Buddhism is not based on anything other than mastering your own thoughts and actions

So your opinion is you are right and I am wrong on reason you are right and I am wrong what's totally clear because you are right and I am wrong. Sounds a little bit as if you could be an US-American ala "See Buddhism in five days". But what about if you are wrong? Ever thought about this possibility?

 

[Blues Man]

Assertions based on ignorance are without value. Look more closely at Buddha's recorded teachings.

I have and there is no god worship in Buddhism. None, zero.

 

[Blues Man]

Spirit - not spirits. And I spoke also not about spirit - I spoke "only" about spirituality.



So your opinion is you are right and I am wrong on reason you are right and I am wrong what's totally clear because you are right and I am wrong. Sounds a little bit as if you could be an US-American ala "See Buddhism in five days". But what about if you are wrong? Ever thought about this possibility?

Spirituality exists in the mind no gods are needed and no gods are worshipped in Buddhism.

 

[ding]

Spirituality exists in the mind no gods are needed and no gods are worshipped in Buddhism.

You'll never reach enlightenment believing that.

 

[Skull]

I have and there is no god worship in Buddhism. None, zero.

Guess you forgot about Buddha telling his disciples to recollect the devas or gods. Millions of Buddhists seek rebirth in one of the god realms. They use this method that Buddha taught:

A noble disciple develops the recollection of the devas
thus: ‘There are devas in the various heavenly realms. There is found in me
such faith, moral discipline, learning, generosity, and wisdom as those devas
possessed because of which, when they passed away from this world, they were
reborn there.’ When a noble disciple recollects his own faith, moral discipline,
learning, generosity, and wisdom, as well as those of the devas, on that occasion
his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; his mind is straight, with
the devas as its object.… This is called a noble disciple who dwells evenly amid
an uneven population, who dwells without affliction amid an afflicted
population, who has entered upon the stream of the Dhamma and develops
recollection of the devas.
“A noble disciple, Mahānāma, who has arrived at the fruit and understood the
teaching often dwells in just this way.”
(AN 6:10; III 284–88)

 

[zaangalewa]

I have and there is no god worship in Buddhism. None, zero.

When the Shakyamuni found out what he found out he also asked himselve whether he should teach other people to follow his way. So he set his bowl in the water of a river. The bowl swam upstream - what is a kind of wonder - and what was equivalent to the answer "Yes - teach others". Who gave Siddharta Gautama this answer?

 

[Blues Man]

Guess you forgot about Buddha telling his disciples to recollect the devas or gods. Millions of Buddhists seek rebirth in one of the god realms. They use this method that Buddha taught:

A noble disciple develops the recollection of the devas
thus: ‘There are devas in the various heavenly realms. There is found in me
such faith, moral discipline, learning, generosity, and wisdom as those devas
possessed because of which, when they passed away from this world, they were
reborn there.’ When a noble disciple recollects his own faith, moral discipline,
learning, generosity, and wisdom, as well as those of the devas, on that occasion
his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; his mind is straight, with
the devas as its object.… This is called a noble disciple who dwells evenly amid
an uneven population, who dwells without affliction amid an afflicted
population, who has entered upon the stream of the Dhamma and develops
recollection of the devas.
“A noble disciple, Mahānāma, who has arrived at the fruit and understood the
teaching often dwells in just this way.”
(AN 6:10; III 284–88)

There is no god worship in Buddhism.
One can practice Buddhism alongside any religion or no religion.

 

[Skull]

There is no god worship in Buddhism.

You continue to assert with no evidence and you continue to ignore evidence from Buddha's teachings. Another title of Shakyamuni is Teacher of Devas & Humans. Many devas are far more advanced than we humans. That is why they are highly revered by many Buddhists as Elder disciples. When did you formally take refuge in the Triple Jewel? Taking refuge is the gateway to Buddhism.

 

[Blues Man]

You continue to assert with no evidence and you continue to ignore evidence from Buddha's teachings. Another title of Shakyamuni is Teacher of Devas & Humans. Many devas are far more advanced than we humans. That is why they are highly revered by many Buddhists as Elder disciples. When did you formally take refuge in the Triple Jewel? Taking refuge is the gateway to Buddhism.

You tell me specifically what god is worshiped in any of the 4 Noble Truths or the 8 fold path to enlightenment.

There is no requirement to worship any gods in Buddhism.

There are no divine laws , rules or commandments, there is no sin.

Elders were revered as wise advisors not worshiped as gods.

 

[Blues Man]

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Buddha is not considered a god, and Buddhists do not worship any god in the traditional sense. Instead, the foundation of Buddhism is following the teachings of Buddha.

What gods do the Buddhists worship? - Answers

Buddhists do not believe in a single, omniscient God. The Buddhist understanding of the universe includes a recognition that there are a lot of aspects of this universe, this reality, that we don't understand. Through analytical meditation and other practices we can understand the deeper truths...

www.answers.com

Buddhists do not believe in a single, omniscient God. The Buddhist understanding of the universe includes a recognition that there are a lot of aspects of this universe, this reality, that we don't understand. Through analytical meditation and other practices we can understand the deeper truths about this reality; truths that can't be understood with our every day minds. When we reach enlightenment we will understand it, and until then there is no reason to believe that there either is or isn't a God. Buddhists aren't atheists, but they also aren't theists.

Do Buddhists worship the Buddha?

Buddhists do not worship the Buddha, though they do revere him. He was not a god or deity, and he cautioned his disciples against thinking of him as one.

tricycle.org

Buddhists do not worship the Buddha, though they do revere him.

The Buddha was not a god or deity, and he cautioned his disciples against thinking of him as one. He also did not condone idolatry. He wanted his life to serve as an example of the fact that by training the mind, any ordinary person could achieve enlightenment and find the same kind of reliable, lasting happiness that he had discovered.

 

[Blues Man]

No.

Yes

 

[Skull]

Buddha is not considered a god, and Buddhists do not worship any god in the traditional sense. Instead, the foundation of Buddhism is following the teachings of Buddha.

I never wrote "worship". Correct on the foundation, yet what Buddha taught on ethics & virtues is not wildly different from the God religions. You did not say you ever took refuge? When you do that you will stop beating the single note of "no God worship". Buddhadharma is far richer than contempt for theism.

 

[Blues Man]

I never wrote "worship". Correct on the foundation, yet what Buddha taught on ethics & virtues is not wildly different from the God religions. You did not say you ever took refuge? When you do that you will stop beating the single note of "no God worship". Buddhadharma is far richer than contempt for theism.

Bullshit.

There are no gods in Buddhism and you have disagreed with that throughout the thread.

Buddhists are not required to worship any god or person

 

[zaangalewa]

Yes

Really?

 

[Blues Man]

Really?

Buddhism does not contradict any religion because there are no gods in Buddhism

 

[zaangalewa]

Bullshit.

There are no gods in Buddhism and you have disagreed with that throughout the thread.

Buddhists are not required to worship any god or person

Is a Buddhist required (¿and what is 'required' at all?) to be a Buddhist? Are you a Buddhist? Do you speak in the name of all Buddhists? Are you a Buddha?

 

[Blues Man]

Is a Buddhist required (¿and what is this at all?) to be a Buddhist? Are you a Buddhist? Do you speak in the name of all Buddhists?

I have been involved with Buddhism for 20 years.

Never once has there been any teaching in any temple I have ever been to that gods are to be worshiped as part of the practice of Buddhism.

You can worship a god of you want but there is no requirement.

 

[BothWings]

I've had a lifelong interest and even practice of Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies and religions. Early in my life I was more attracted to the Mahayana, the Greater Vehicle, partly because of it's Western-friendly ideas and more general and broad approach. After all, Tibetan Buddhism is not just Buddhism, its a fusion of proto-Buddhism which was born from Hinduism through the heart of Siddhartha, and of the Boen religion which was indigenous to Tibet before Buddhism arrived. From there it was carried through China where Buddha transformed from the androgenous lotus figure with the curly hair into the fat guy with the big smile.

From China it found its way to Japan where it fused with more indigenous ideas and became Zen, which exists almost hand-in-hand with the Japanese state religion called Shinto which revere's nature spirits as it's main focus.

However, the Buddhism from southeast Asia(Theravada) is considered to be the most Orthodox and true to the teaching of Siddhartha. I don't know if this true. I doubt anyone really does.

I have read many writings of Mahayana and the words of the Dalai Lama. I think it is mostly wonderful and full of wisdom. However in the past 10 years after becoming more familiar with Theravada, and particularly of the teachings of southeast Asian sages such as Thich Nhat Kwan...I've become more absorbed by that approach. I don't believe Theravada is necessarily "better" or wiser...but ai do believe it takes a more serious consideration of things, while Mahayana is more happy-go-lucky and liberal....which is why Americans and Europeans gravitate to it because the transition from modern, developed and jaded lifestyles is easier.

 

[zaangalewa]

Buddhism does not contradict any religion because there are no gods in Buddhism

That's an empty phrase from an Euro-American atheist who tries to think in one truth without god. I don't know whether such an absolute thought really has to do with Buddhism or whether this has more to do with a wrongly understood Christian religion and enmity against Christians. Whatever. I am not a Buddhist. I am a Catholic. But I found out in the end Buddhists and Catholics have the same values for to live a good daily life, what's very astonishing because we start from a very different situation. Blessings to all Buddhists.

 

[Skull]

I have been involved with Buddhism for 20 years.

Involved means you took refuge or not? I took refuge over 40 years ago. You mentioned the 8-fold path. Do you recall the first one Right View or Right Thought? To deny the devas or gods is Wrong View, the Right View is from M. 117:

The view that alms and offerings are not useless; that there
is fruit and result, both of good and bad actions; that there are
such things as this life, and the next life; that father and
mother, as also spontaneously born beings (in the heavenly
worlds), are no mere words; that there are in the world monks
and priests, who are spotless and perfect, who can explain
this life and the next life, which they themselves have understood:
this is called the ‘Mundane Right Understanding’,
which yields worldly fruits and brings good results.